Drama Ensemble Tips | The Drama Teacher

Tips for teachers and students of senior drama when working with ensembles.

The logical sequence of events in chronological order is:

task distribution
group creation
brainstorming
researching
scripting and/or improvising
rehearsing
editing
refining
performing
evaluating

Note: there will naturally be some overlap, as these steps are difficult to undertake in isolation.

Advice:

allow more time than you think you will need for performance creation with ensemble works
allow for adequate brainstorming and research at the beginning of the task
too much research will result in inadequate rehearsal time
too little research will result in superficial performances that do not adequately address the topic/theme
group creation should not be based on friendships, but rather on working relationships and common interests
small groups can be very successful because they tend to be more efficient than large groups
small groups can also be lost for ideas due to the lack of suggestions in the brainstorming and creation phases
large groups can often be very successful due to the amount of creative ideas within the group
large groups can also be inefficient, take too long to produce material
ideal sized groups are often 4-5 students
aim to finish all rehearsals at least one week prior to performance, allowing for refining of work
editing material along the way is much better than cutting slabs of dialogue and action at the last-minute
a good ensemble group is dedicated, organised, efficient, innovative, creative, takes risks, thinks outside the box
poor ensemble groups are often hampered by laziness, tardiness, a lack of attention to detail, disorganisation, attendance issues
be prepared to put in the extra time in order to achieve greatness, eg. before school, after school, or weekend rehearsals
research does not just equal the Internet – there are libraries with printed books out there, too!
smart groups distribute tasks amongst ensemble members according to the skills and abilities of individuals
if consistency can be achieved, it is quicker to create scenes or script material simultaneously in different locations
leave line-learning for homework between classes, as it is a waste of valuable time learning lines at school
the teacher is the best resource in the room, so don’t be afraid of regularly asking questions